Twice Dreamt Equals Absolute

Every day on every Pais team around the world we do team devotions, and I love that! Last week, I got to lead my team in studying Genesis 41, where Pharaoh has a dream and needs the interpretation. That is when Joseph is summoned from the prison to the palace and that is his life-changing, momentous breakthrough that leads to the fulfillment of the dreams he had in his youth. 

At 30 years old, Joseph is not quite rotting in jail. He has been given a position of authority within the prison, but still, I can't imagine it was a nice place to exist, and actually, from Psalm 105 we know it wasn't. 13 years beforehand, he had had a dream. Well, actually, he had had two dreams, which he knew were one and the same, and at this point he is still waiting for them to come to pass, surely wondering if he would ever see them realized, surely wondering if he would ever have the honour and position he felt God had promised him in his dreams. Life in jail could probably bring a bit of discouragement, day after day after day, year after year after year with what seemed like no forward movement or manifestation of what God had spoken to him. 

But then the day comes when everything changes. It's interesting to me how much can change in a day. In one day, the Israelites left behind 400 years of captivity and walked into freedom. In one day, forgotten-about David was called from the sheepfold to be anointed king over Israel. In one day, Mary went from being very much not pregnant to quietly carrying the Saviour of the world within her. In one day, Lazarus went from being four days in the grave to alive and well, walking out of the smelly tomb he had been lifelessly carried into. In one day...in just one day...things can shift. In just one day God can change our circumstances. In just one day. 

So there's encouragement for you--and really, I'm writing this for myself because there's something I've been waiting on for a long time and sometimes I see no forward movement. Sometimes I see no progress (and other times I do, but I'm so quick to forget!). But God is GOD--He can do whatever He likes; nothing is too big for Him and He certainly can change our circumstances in just one day. Do you believe it?

But, that's not my point (Good though, wasn't it?). My point is that, when Joseph is called from the prison, he stands boldly before Pharaoh (after shaving and changing his clothes, praise the Lord), knowing what God has already told him twice over (that he would come to greatness and all his family would bow down before him) but knowing he hasn't seen the fulfillment of it yet. He had had two dreams about this, he was certain it would happen, but at this point, 13 years later, it still hasn't happened. Do you think he ever experienced doubt? Do you think he ever gave up that hope? Do you think discouragement ever got the best of him? 

I would guess that at one time or another he really struggled holding onto this dream. But you'd never know it. From the way he stands before Pharaoh and adamantly declares what Pharaoh's dream means, that God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do and that the fact that Pharaoh had the dream twice meant that God was absolutely going to do it, you'd think he'd been to the future and come back to tell the world about it. Obviously that didn't happen. He himself is still waiting on his own two-dream-one-promise revelation to come to pass but he has so much faith in God, so much knowledge of the workings of the Holy One, so much insight into the character of God (that He does what He says and He says what He does) that Joseph is able to say: 'God gave you this dream twice to show you what He's going to do and He's seriously going to do it, no question.' And that tells me, after all this time and all these trials, he still must have had the faith for his own dreams. Despite how long he's had to wait. Despite his circumstances and where he found himself in life. Despite what his past or his present told him. He still had faith. 

Joseph trusted God, even though he hadn't seen his own dreams come to pass. In fact, he trusted God so much that he could stand before the most powerful king on the planet and boldly declare the certainty of the word of God while still not having realized his own promise. And he could do that only because he knew God. Because he had spent time with God. Because God tells His secrets to his friends and Joseph had made sure that he was, in fact, a friend and confidante of God. I want to be like that. I want God to speak to me in dreams (more!). I want God to consider me His friend and tell me His secrets. I want to know and trust God so well that, like Joseph, I can stand before anyone and everyone and confidently and powerfully declare the living and active word of God. Yeah, I want to know God like that.

Back in the Saddle

We are currently in the middle of week 4, which is SO hard to believe. It seemed week three didn't even really exist. My team and I were off last Monday, worked Tuesday from Starbucks (the hardship, I know, but it's only once a year), were in school on Wednesday and then went to Warwick on Thursday for Hub day and to help Pais Warwick with their weekender. 

Here are a few pics from the weekend:

Every session at the weekender started with worship, which I loved!

Here, Luke, the West Midlands Hub Leader and his wife Lou, a youth worker at this particular church are leading a game with the help of the fabulous Paul Faulkner and the legendary James Tunnacliffe. These guys are brill! 

Dan Randall, the Assistant National Director of Pais GB, and my future 'boss' came to preach about the Holy Spirit. Lou introduced him to the young people and cheesy jokes, which I am happy to have forgotten, were exchanged.

Fenja, leading some of the young people in a German game called 'the Funky Chicken' (It's not what you think.).

Bethany sharing her story of why she joined Pais.

For those of you who understand Myers-Briggs, I made my teammates take the personality test. Look! No T's or P's! Can you believe that??

I will admit that, to this point, leading this new team has been a challenge for me. I have struggled leading knowing I will not be with this team long, and that creates different challenges. In addition, for some reason I didn't consider the fact early on that I would be going from a team who, at the end of last year, knew everything they needed to do, did quality ministry even without my input, remembered what they needed to remember (sometimes reminding me of things I had forgotten), had caught the vision and maintained the positive and encouraging atmosphere I worked hard to create at the beginning, to a team that pretty much knew nothing about the school or me or each other or what they need to do and when...and that honestly disturbed me for the first few weeks. I really forgot how hard it can be at the beginning. Sometimes it feels like pulling a train. But then, by the grace of God, I remembered that it felt like that at the start of last year as well and gradually, my team members got it and started running with it and they were total stars! So, I have great hope for this group of people, even if I can only lead them for a few more weeks. They are going to do great work and bring real light and truth to the young people of Darlaston!

We're Baaaaaaaack!!!

Well, we have FINALLY finished two weeks of Foundational Training with Pais GB in Burnley where we spent some intense quality time with all the other teams from around the country, learning about schools and youth work and being invested in and challenged by the national directors. This was my third time through training in the past year and a half, so by this point I was thankfully able to sit and listen, make notes where I needed to and relax a bit more than usual. I also was so blessed to get to stay with some beautiful friends in Burnley who allowed me and my air mattress a space on their floor. Showering daily and use of the laundry facilities was not a privilege enjoyed by all, but I certainly did appreciate it!

Today was the first day for Pais Walsall in school! I know my team is more than ready to get stuck in to the work, and for me, I was quite happy to be back. I missed my school and my kids!! I definitely got more hugs this morning than I anticipated and there were many smiles upon seeing my lovely self back in the school. It was great!

This weekend my team and I are off to Warwick to help our fellow Pais team with their Weekender, which is their opportunity to invite young people to a weekend conference to help them get to know God better. The amazing Dan Randall and Paul Faulkner are both scheduled to speak and I am so excited to hear the word of the Lord that they are both going to bring. (If you don't know who they are feel free to stalk them on FB! They are Pais legends!) In addition, my Walsall home is currently under construction as Ruth is having a new kitchen put in! It's so exciting but it currently looks like this:


And there's no sink! Hopefully by the time I return on Saturday some progress will have been made!

A makeshift kitchen has been set up in the living room...I suppose the nice thing about that is not having to walk so far to get food... :)

PS You guys are in my heart forever! <3 <3 <3